Charlotte Hornets: Top-10 Moments of 2016 for Buzz City
9. The Greensboro Swarm Play Their First Game
November 12th, 2016
The Charlotte Hornets’ made a hugely progressive move when they decided to add an NBA D-League affiliate in 2016. It was a great opportunity for the franchise to help develop youth prospects and join many teams who already had their own D-League team. While many teams already had their own, plenty still don’t, and that puts the organization ahead of multiple teams around the league.
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Greensboro was an exciting addition to the franchise and their first game was highly anticipated. After months of waiting, going through drafts, and signing players for the team, they finally started the 2016 D-League season against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants at home. The Fieldhouse was packed and fans were excited to watch former NBA players and NBA hopefuls take the court.
The Swarm ended up losing the game, 120-98, but there was still promise and hope surrounding the new team. Mike Tobey led the way with 21 points and 11 rebounds in their first game. It was a disappointing result but the simple fact that there was now a D-League team for the Hornets, was a huge boost to the organization.
Moving forward, they now have a place to send players like Aaron Harrison and Christian Wood as they look to continue their development. If Charlotte can take full advantage of the D-League system, it will be a huge positive for their team. While the initial honeymoon phase around the Swarm has passed, this was still one of the most important moves of 2016.